Taras Tymchuk

Organizational Bug Fixer, Consultant, Facilitator
Hello! My name is Taras Tymchuk. I am passionate about locating, surfacing and correcting systemic bugs that drop productivity in organizations, communities and businesses in this crazy time. Focus of my work - human designed processes, products, services, group interactions, collective decision-making (and bringing those decisions into reality) to make this world a better place.

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After 10 years in civil society development sector, I went on with my career in the role of an independent consultant and researcher in organizational development and group processes. Over the last 8 years, I have been consulting leading national and worldwide organizations who support reforms and systemic changes in Ukraine and Eastern Europe: developed communication strategies and products, solutions in education and management, designed groups meetings and activities, which are aimed to strengthen ongoing systemic changes through meaningful conversations and group meetings.

In Open Space Works Cooperative, I facilitate participative group conversations in the Open Space, Future Search, World Cafe formats and promotes these approaches around Ukraine. I love complex tasks that lie on the cross-border of learning, participation, gamification and behavioral studies.

In my free time I write to the blog about the use of gamification in local community development, telegram-channel about Aid & Development Industry.

I am passionate about locating, surfacing and correcting systemic bugs that drop productivity in organizations, communities and businesses in this crazy time.

Focus of my work - human designed processes, products, services, group interactions, collective decision-making (and bringing those decisions into reality) to make this world a better place.

Implementation more than 101 projects on the team lead position

Research, M&E, Product Design and Community Development projects funded by international aid organizations: EU, USAID, SIDA, US Embassy, UNDEF, Council of Europe, CIDA, CONCORD, UNDP, PACT inc., IREX, EEF, International Renaissance Foundation, Ukrainian Social Investment Fund

Profit
Cross-functional and multidisciplinary experience helps to identify and manage risks and select the tools and approaches to ensure high-quality deliverables.

Implementation more than 43 consulting contracts for Ukrainian and international organizations

Google, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, Ukrainian Social Investments Fund, U-LEAD with Europe, GIZ funded projects, CEDOS, UNDP in Ukraine, UNV Kazakhstan, DVV International in Ukraine, DAI (USA), Individuell Människohjälp Swedish Development Partner (Moldova), Council of Europe, DOBRE Program (USAID project), OSCE, IREX, PACT inc.
ProfitExtensive experience with a variety of stakeholders gives the big picture of trends that shape our today.

Innovations: development and promotion

Co-author of legendary Ukrainian innovative cooperative board game 'World of Community', that is often used as a tool of community engagement, civic education, integration and diagnostics;
Managing Partner in Open Space Works Cooperative since 2016
As a national coordinator, made contributions to development of Istanbul Principles of CSO Effectiveness Development
In 2007-2013 he developed the most popular NGO communication platform in Ukraine gurt.org.ua
ProfitUses and promotes innovations as their creator and practitioner as opposed to "preaching without practicing"

Works globally

Taras provided consulting services in Civil Society development area in Hungary, Tunisia Belarus, Armenia, Moldova, Kazakhstan.

Profit
Knowledge of worldwide trends and experience working with other cultural, social and ethnic groups both locally and worldwide

Game-based facilitation Can design simulation game session based on World of Communities approach for group diagnosis or complex work.
Stakeholders Analysis: I can source the right information and engage the right people for research and preparation of project or business proposals;
Productive Meetings: I can help to design, plan and run an important large group meeting or discussion of complex, hot questions to make a hard decision;
Strategic Planning & Product Development: develop a program for work with the multi-stakeholder audiences using Open Space, Future Search, World Cafe, ToP, Design Thinking technologies;
Organizational Diagnostics: can reveal hidden assets in your company as well as hidden tumors in your business or organization;
Strategic Communication: can develop a communication campaign, video, reports, etc to promote or sell a better version of the future for a community or social group;

Large Group Facilitation

Open Space Learning Workshop, ToT program with Lisa Heft
Managing Future Search, Workshop with Sandra Janoff & Marvin Weisbord
Technology of Participation®, Facilitation Methods, ToT with Irina Fursman, Institute of Culture Affairs Ukraine
Appreciative Inquiry, ToT Program with Flemming Heegaard

Management of Productive Meetings

Don't Just Do Something, Stand There, Managing Productive Meetings, Workshop with Sandra Janoff & Marvin Weisbord

Adult Education & Community Development

Personal Finance Management, ToT program, (USAID/FINREP-II)
Start and Improve Your Business, ToT program of International Labor Organization
Adult Education for Rural Development, Kashubian Folk High School/DVV International/
Organizational Development, Advocacy and Community Leadership, Resource Mobilization, CSDF/GURT

Communication & Social Science

Postgraduate program in Religion
Masters of Arts in Public Relations
Bachelor of Arts in Culture

Human & Organisational Capacity Development of National Qualification Agency
August 2021 - June 2022
Organisational Capacity Development
Status
Ongoing
Client
GIZ/EU4SKILLS
Role
Team lead
Key responsibilities: ● Design and planning the learning intervention process● Managing team of experts● Coordination of NQA+EU4SKILLS+experts meetings● Reporting: reflecting interventions and recommendations
ShareTheTruths.org - Multilingual War Daily Update Project to Spread Information about Ukraine around the World
Started in February 2022
Media literacy, cultural diplomacy, information resistance in russian invasion of Ukraine

Status
Ongoing
Role
Member of Editorial team
Key responsibilities: ● Technical support of the project● Basic SMM● Planning materials● Fundraising
More: sharethetruths.org
World of Communities as a tool for public consultations and youth advocacy campaigns
November 2021 - February 2022
Game-based facilitation, public consultation design & support
Status
Finished
Client
IOM / WOC
Role
Team lead
Key responsibilities: ● Design, plan and conduction of TOT program for game facilitators preparation● Program design● Project team coordination and support● Public consultations in game-based format design and facilitation
World of Communities as a tool for public consultations: game simulation for communication professionals in State agencies and Ministries
November - December 2021
Game-based facilitation, public consultation design
Status
Finished
Client
OSCE/SCMU
Role
Team lead
Key responsibilities: ● Design, plan and conduction of the simulation game session ● Program design● Project team coordination and support● Reporting
World of Communities Game Online for Community Outreach and Civic Actors Engagement
November - December 2021
Game-based facilitation, public consultation design
Status
Finished
Client
DG East / USAID
Role
Team lead
Key responsibilities: ● To develop an online version of the World of Communities board game as resourceful and efficient community outreach and civic actor`s engagement mechanisms;● To identify potential local leaders among interested players and channel them for participation in the DG East sub-regional workshops, the Bi-Regional Annual NGO Forum, the NGO Capacity building program, and direct them further into real life civic democratic processes in their communities;● To increase interaction of citizens with civil society groups.
Results
WOC [online] was developed and tested and still functions
Organizational Assessment Plan National Qualification Agency (NQA)
July - October 2020
Organisational Assessment
Status
Finished
Client
GIZ/EU4SKILLS
Role
Team lead
Key responsibilities: ● Design and planning the assessment process● Collecting and making analysis of the information: assessment of organizational performance;● Assessment of organizational capacities; assessment of organizational motivation; assessment of external environment.● Reporting: reflecting interventions and recommendations
Results:Organizational Assessment Plan of National Qualification Agency was conducted, key recommendations were incorporated into GIZ strategy of collaboration with NQA
The Future of Belarus Civil Society: Future Search Workshop
August - October 2020
Strategic Planning
Status
Finished
Client
Bact Belarus / USAID
Role
Future Search Facilitator
Key responsibilities: ● Design and develop the concept of Future Search Workshop● Design and develop materials for Future Search Workshop● Facilitation of Future Search Workshop in Vilnius, September 16-18, 2019● Preparation of the report and recommendations for PACT
The Future of Family Milk Farms: Future Search Workshop
August - October 2019
Strategic Planning
Client
UkrMilkInvest
Status
Finished
Role
Future Search Facilitator
Key responsibilities: ●Design and develop the concept of Future Search Workshop● Design and develop materials for Future Search Workshop● Facilitation of Future Search Workshop in Rivne, October 18-20, 2019● Preparation of the report and recommendations ResultsThe strategy for Family Milk Farm Industry was developed within 3 days
Learning Community: Development of Add-on for World of Communities Board Game
October 2018 - May 2019
Game Design Development
Client
DVV International Ukraine
Status
Finished
Role
Game Design Facilitator
Key responsibilities: ● Design and develop the concept of Game Design Workshops● Design and develop materials for Game Design Workshops● Facilitation of Game Design Workshops in Kyiv, November-February, 2018-2019
Results
New add-on for World of Communities Board Game was developed and launched in May 2019.
Strengthening the capacity of the Center for Urban Studies as an Analytical Center for the Training of Specialists in Modern Architecture and urban planning
May - November 2019
Organisational Capacity Development
Client
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Status
Finished
Role
Game Design Facilitator
Key responsibilities: Coordination the process of CUS organizational transformation: new structure, new internal organizational procedures, new visual code, fundraising & communication strategy, new products (Master program on Urban Studies)
ResultsCentre of Urban Studies was released, and now is implementing Master program on Urban Studies in Collaboration with Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
Сivic Education Course Development
August 2018
Participative Product Design
Client
UNDP/Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine
Status
Finished
Role
Future Search Facilitator
Key responsibilities:
Design and conduction of participatory planning session on civic education course for Youth Worker Program in Future Search format.The session involved all stakeholders of the initiative: the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine, community leaders, informal education practitioners, youth and donor representatives.

Result
The course concept became legitimate in the eyes of stakeholders and allowed to write the ToR to launch the project in the shortest terms
E-services advertisement on 7 national TV-channels Delivery
May - June 2015
PR&Communication
Client
IREX
Status
Finished
Role
Team lead
Key responsibilities: ● Overall management of the project ● recruiting the team within a tight deadline ● Creating a timetable for release of the videos on national TV
Result 2 videos about e-governance services were produced in just one month to be broadcast on 7 national TV channel such as 1+1, STB, Ukraine, TET, 5 channel. In the first 2 weeks of broadcast the videos had more than 14 million viewers.
IDPs Integration & Capacity Development Project
June 2017 - March 2018
Community Development, Human Capacity Development
Client
Ukrainian Social Investment Fund
Status
Finished
Role
Team lead
Key responsibilities: ● conduct context analysis and needs assessment in 14 USIF partner communities in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv oblasts using a participatory World Cafe format; ● develop and deliver training sessions on stakeholder engagement; ● coordinate the project team● coordinate video production team;● Development and conduction of ToT program for regional consultants of Ukrainian Social Investment Fund on: Stakeholders analysis, Productive group meetings facilitation, Communication in community.● Reporting
More
Monitoring of Local Initiatives Implemented by Project Participants
November 2016 - March 2017
Project Evaluation
Client
Council of Europe
Status
Finished
Role
Evaluator
Key responsibilities: ● Develop a concept for the follow-up of the initiatives and change in the communities resulting from participation to activities.● Collect and analyze the relevant data, according to the methodology and tools discussed and agreed with the project team.● Prepare a monitoring report on the initiatives implemented.● Propose to the project team a selection of 20 success stories already largely implemented/ finalised that could be further promoted and shared with other beneficiaries of the project, and suggest means to document them;● Deliver a final report on at least 10 success stories, including visibility for their promotion;
More
Monitoring Context Analysis, Mapping Key Stakeholders for Future Cooperation Local Initiatives Implemented by Project Participants
June 2017 - March 2018
Context Analysis
Client
IM Swedish Development Partner
Status
Finished
Role
Stakeholder Analyst
Key responsibilities: ● Conduct a clear and precise analysis of poverty and human rights situation; special focus should be given to the rights of persons with disabilities;● Provide an analysis on the current civil society role and challenges;● Provide overview statistics on human development trends;● Conduct a stakeholder analysis;● Provide recommendations to effectively integrate gender, disability, environment and conflict sensitivity in the potential strategy.
ResultA Moldova-based and Swedish-rooted organization who first went out on Ukrainian market found reliable partners for the implementation of a cross boarder capacity development program in Ukraine

Taras is very consistent in what he does and is making every effort to upgrade his skills and knowledge. A consultant of wide and expanding horizons, with unflagging appetite for self-development. He is a professional who knows how to put an incisive question, how to listen actively to create an enabling environment for group work, how to manage the group dynamics for rewarding outputs.

Taras is a very creative professional and is an author of the development game, the first of its kind in Ukraine, which is gaining popularity and serving to find solutions in a variety of complex multilayer environments.
I would highly recommend Taras's services.

Olga Sandakova, Office of the Council of Europe in Ukraine

I know Taras as a highly committed professional since my work at the UN office in Ukraine in 2010. Due to his extensive experience in civil society sector development across the country and Eastern Europe combined with his international training and strong analytical skills, Taras stands out as one of top-notch consultants in the field.

His ability to research complex topics, work independently, yet successfully coordinate with partners, and creatively facilitate challenging discussions made our concluding event of the EU funded Regional Voices project in open space format a huge success, resulting in new media – CSOs alliances aimed at advocacy of internally displaced people's rights and access to social services

Olena Sadovnik, Thomson Foundation

Taras is a competent facilitator with the relevant experience in civil society development, communications and innovative approaches to problem solving. Provided the expected results on time and of a good quality, recommended for similar engagements

Olena Ursu, UNDP Ukraine